LE MUR ET LE MARCHAND DE CRIS

An absurd installation. A wall. A clumsy man takes up the torch from his father, the sub-prefecture's last loudspeaker, and summons up a collective ritual to distil the cries of the audience, between grotesque protocol and sonic jubilation.

Le Mur et le Marchand de Cris is a participatory musical show designed for the public space, combining theatre, music, sound installation and absurdist poetry, with the help of an audience that, little by little, dares to laugh, shout, pulsate and waltz.

LE MUR DE CRIS: Preliminary installation

The Mur de Cris is an interactive art installation that forms the prelude to the Marchand de Cris show. It allows the audience to place their screams on a wall, each scream being recorded and played back via a special crithoscope. The screams can be of different kinds: cries of assembly, anger, pleasure, etc. The device is light and discreet, and creates a kind of magic in the public space.

The wall becomes a place for individual or collective expression, where the scream acts as an outlet. It questions the need to shout and explores the reasons why we do. It's also intriguing, because shouting in the public space raises questions! The cries collected will be reused in the show Marchand de Cris. This collection process will enrich both the installation and the show to come.

LE MARCHAND DE CRIS

A wall, a sign: the harvest of screams is about to begin. A man has come to take over his father's flask, the last distiller in the sub-prefecture. It's his first time. It's our first time. Like a distiller, he invites the audience to come and deposit their cries: of joy, sorrow, effort, birth or relief, before collecting them in the form of juice. But just shouting is not enough. There's a protocol. Rules. A prefectoral decree. The Ötorité watches. And the roaring woman assists. This new Merchant of Cries is clumsy. He's just starting out. His childhood memories come flooding back. Maternal silence, admiration for Screamin' Jay Hawkins... And the wall keeps the memory. It rustles with buried cries that disrupt the distillation process. But the magic works: the audience becomes an accomplice. They laugh, they shout, they palpate their pulp, they waltz, they disrupt their postures. A collective clamour rises up, a vibrant tribute to silences swallowed for too long. Without being a stroll, this is a show that gets you moving. Designed for the public space, it's a blend of administrative absurdity, sonic heritage and joyous overflow

A street performance for all audiences

2 people in the street - Capacity: 100 to 600

Duration: 45 min ("Mur de cris" installation beforehand)Technically autonomous

Lightweight format, no plugs in

Created in 2025 at the Festival Les Tentaculaires - Amiens

Staging principles

• Encounter and movement: The show aims to encourage movement and interaction between the audience, creating a group effect and encouraging movement of body and voice.
• Expression and liberation: The aim is to get participants to express what is often repressed, with shouting as the main medium. The active participation of the audience is sought.
• Participatory staging: The audience is guided to move, interact and shout, creating a collective dynamic.